It’s true that Starbucks is mostly famous for its coffee drinks, including the beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte and Caramel Macchiato (which you can also order upside down). But if you venture beyond these caffeinated beverages, you’ll find that Starbucks has plenty of delicious options that won’t give you a buzz — like its Steamed Apple Juice. The hot drink is made simply with 100% apple juice. However, you can also order a Caramel Apple Spice, which incorporates cinnamon dolce syrup, whipped cream, and a caramel drizzle, or a variety of other upgrades.
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But where does the chain actually source its apple juice from? We can’t say for sure, but according to alleged baristas on Reddit, it comes from either Musselman’s or Tree Top. Starbucks may use both, and the brand you receive may depend on the location of your store. It’s pretty tough to tell which one you’re getting based on taste alone, especially since the chain’s apple juice drinks are warmed up and may contain other flavors. If you’re buying a boxed apple juice from Starbucks, however, Tree Top is the brand you’ll end up with.
How do Musselman’s and Tree Top compare?
According to one alleged barista on Reddit, Musselman’s is the tastier apple juice of the two. There is one key difference between Musselman’s and Tree Top: The former deploys only pasteurized apple juice and vitamin C in its Premium Apple Juice, while the latter uses apple juice from concentrate and vitamin C in its 100% Apple Juice. However, Starbucks specifies that its 100% apple juice is not from concentrate — so it’s more likely that if a Tree Top product is used here, it’s the brand’s 100% Pure Pressed 3 Apple Blend Juice, which only contains the juice. But it’s also possible that Tree Top deploys its 100% Pressed Honeycrisp Apple Juice in Starbucks’ drinks, since these bottles don’t contain any concentrate either.
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Beyond the ingredient list, the two brands have pretty similar products. Eight ounces of Musselman’s lists 120 calories and 26 grams of sugar, while Tree Top’s three apple blend also has 120 calories, and 27 grams of sugar. Both of these amounts line up pretty closely with Starbucks’ steamed apple juice, which contains 120 calories and 27 grams of sugar in an 8-ounce short size. Yet while Tree Top farms are located in Washington, Oregon, and California, Musselman’s operates out of East Coast states like Pennsylvania and Virginia. These regions may align with different locations of Starbucks stores, but double check with your local barista to find out for sure.
